The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-08-19
NO. 81.
GUARDING THE MAILS.
Two Curious Cases of Dishonesty Unearth'
by Post-Onlce Inspector.

eran post-office inspector l learned
some very interesting things about the
guarding of the United States mails.
1.-The worst case 1 ever had" said
the inspector, "was in a country Office
in Pennsylvania. Letters had been
stolen on a certain hack route. OBJ
| tanned a broad-brimmed hat and an
nounced that l had come into the neigh
borhOod to buy cattle. / sent decoy
| letters and kept close watch of ali the
| offices. At length had things pretty
well centered on single Office. 1t was
kept by an old German who was noted
for his honesty. His deputy was his
| eighteen-year-old daughter, beautiful
girl, who was engaged to be married to
rich farmer in the ueighborhood. My
suspicious were fastened upon this girl.
waited in the eneighborhood for week
in order to make a trial when the old
people were away from home. At
length they left town for the day, and
the Office was in the hands of the
daughter. 1 dropped a decoy letter
into the bag just before it came into
the office, and examining the mail after
it left the office found that it had been
taken. I waited till no one was pres
ent except the deputy postmistress, and
then, deliberately locking the door,
stepped behind the cases and said in
deep, sepulchral voice:
al want the letter which you took
from the bag to-day
''She went into a violent fit of hys-
terics. She tore her beautiful hair and
a,,,sn,Ye1r- I
her, looking as much as possible like
Nemesis. At length she stopped short,
and, throwing her arms around my
neck, she piteously besought me:
you won't send me to State-prison,
will you, my dear, good man. Please
don't
"'That will depend upon whether
you will tell me every thing about this
case, said I.
"I'll tell you every thing. / have
taken the letters, every one of them.
Father is not to blame and his heart
will be broken. l couldn't get any
thing decent to wear, and thought /
had to have money, so took the let
ters. Oh, mister, you won't send me
to State prison, will youP l am engaged
to be married. Oh, dear-boohoo!
what shall do?''
Il told her that I would do the best
could, and perhaps it might be fixed
up without her going to prison.
when the postmaster and his wife
returned they Immediately saw that
something had happened. They at first
believed that had injured their daugh-
ter in some way, and were disposed to
attack me. But the young lady was
fast to explain:
This is the best man that ever
lived. He has saved me-
THAT was more unintelligible than
ever to the old people. But at length
all was explained and understood.
Under the circumstances / decided not
to arrest the girl l could see no good
that would come of it, and much evil.
/ made the old gentleman promise
that she should never again touch the
mails. A few months later she was
married, and is now the mother of
several children and is much respected
in the neighborhood.
"About the funniest case / ever had
any thing to do WITH the inspector
continued, ''was that of country ed
itor."
"Relate it," said /, still interested.
''Well, there were some circulars put
in my hand which read as follows:
GREENBAcKsl GREENBAcKsi
viii furnish money as good as genuine for
ten per cent. of face value. Send one dollar
for sample lot Strictly confidential
JOHN ADAMS.
Il saw Immediately that the circular
was printed in a country office, and
knew there was only one Office in the
vicinity. / knew this printer well, and
had not the least suspicion that he had
any thing to do with getting up the cir
culars. l decided to call on him. rs /
self sure he might be able to help on
the case. / accordingly visited the
printer, and showing him the circular,
inquired:
"'Can you throw any light on thatP'
"Tll tell you how that was. said
the editor, visibly confused. That was
all joke.
"'Please explain the joke, said I.
"Well, now, let me say that no one
hates counterfeiters so badly as I do.
simply detest any thing of the kind.
/ don't think there is anybody that
hates lying so badly as / do, either
wouldn't lie for any thing in the world.
Now, printed these circulars and de-
cided to send them out and see IT,
couldn't find out some fellows who
would like to be cOunterfciters.'
"'Well, how is Il about this fictitious
name, and what did you propose 10 do
when they sent you the dollarsP'
"'WeH. III tell you about that As
said before, / hate lying. Now, my
initials are j. A., and nv first two
names are John Adams. You see that
was no lie. When ! got the money
expected to send them some good adj
vice. Now, if advice Is worth any thing,
it is worth a dollar, and I intend 20
send them a dollars worth. So You
see itwas all joke. You can keep il all
quiet If you have a mind to, can't youP
You won't make any scandal, viii
you?
81 shall be obliged to lay all tho
points of this joke before the district
attorney. He may consider il Of no
consequence and dismiss iJ, but / can
do nothing less.
THE editor was q leading church
member. and was considered ~
the big men Of the ...,rB IT, con- ~
suited a lawy,-r, and the two decided
not % @ srait for the district attorney 70
sefd for them, but TO 60 to him i'm.
mediatcly.
''The editor was indicted for defraud
ing through the mails, but finally es.
capped the penitentiary and is still pub
fishing his paper. - Utica (M p o.
sergeT